Patients with behavioral health conditions often suffer from the double burden of chronic physical health conditions. As a result, providers caring for these patients must coordinate their care to achieve the best possible health outcomes. The lack of reliable health information exchange and integration of health data across care settings can impede this essential care coordination. For example, individuals may face duplicate testing, medication errors, or gaps in care at critical moments. HHS recognizes the important role that innovative health information technologies (health IT) play in solving these challenges. Improved electronic data exchange can expand access to behavioral health care, support improved care coordination, empower clinical decision making, and lead to better health outcomes.
Behavioral Health Information Technology (BHIT) The initiative is addressing the need for better data exchange in behavioral health care settings. Nine new pilot projects will advance health data exchange to improve behavioral health care coordination. View the press release announcing the pilot projects.
bheet initiative
BHIT initiative is a $20 million Effort led by ASTP/ONC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This effort includes partnering for the development of the industry USCDI+ Behavioral Health (USCDI+ BH) Dataset and FHIR® The Behavioral Health Profile Implementation Guide (BHIG) provides standardized data elements and technical specifications to improve the state of behavioral health data exchange in care settings. Pilot project will test this USCDI+BH dataset and FHIR® bh ig Assessing behavioral health data exchange in real-world settings across countries.
pilot selected
The trial will not only improve the standards and technical specifications of the USCDI+BH dataset but also provide important information about providers’ implementation experience as well as legal and policy considerations for the broader provider community. Pilot participants represent 45 exchange partners in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington, DC. Along with technical assistance, ASTP/ONC and SAMHSA will provide $300,000 to $690,000 in funding to implement innovative, community-driven projects testing the USCDI+BH dataset and FHIR.® BH IG, and will support improved behavioral health information exchange over the next year.
Pilot projects will identify effective practices and opportunities that can support better behavioral health data exchange for patients and providers. This includes care coordination, federal and state reporting, patient access and consent, and consent management for entities covered by federal requirements for confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records (42 CFR Part 2).
Several pilot projects are leveraging health information exchanges as the infrastructure for sharing data, and are exploring the use of the two USCDI+BH data elements, as well as innovative use of artificial intelligence. Importantly, these pilot projects have included participants at different levels of health IT maturity, increasing the likelihood that the solutions developed can scale across different provider types and settings.
looking ahead
The pilot projects have already started their initial phase of work, and will be completed by the end of 2026. Lessons learned from the pilot projects will inform improvements to the USCDI+ BH data elements and FHIR® BH IG technical specifications. The knowledge gained will also shape the development of the Behavioral Health Information Resource – a comprehensive tool that incorporates lessons learned and best practices from the pilots, with a planned release in 2027. Stay tuned for more updates and find informational resources on our website next year.
These pilot projects represent an important step toward a more interoperable health care system that supports integrated behavioral and physical health care. By testing standardized data exchange in real-world settings across the country, we are laying the foundation for large-scale adoption that can improve continuity of care, improve the exchange of data across care settings, and deepen the connection between two parts of the health care system that are often disconnected from each other.
Carry on
We encourage stakeholders to stay tuned for updates on the progress of the pilot project and opportunities to provide feedback on the USCDI+BH dataset and FHIR.® BH IG.
